when he was still in law school, he had been at robben island, president of south africa. all said they expect that the president will attend nelson mandela's funeral. >> global history for that matter of nelson mandela being the first black president of south africa and barack obama first black president of the united states. >> there is no question about that. the fact that president obama's father was from kenya, he feels a bond to the continent of africa as well. south africa is the most important economy. remembering, you know, the colonial africa went through a serial process of nations achieving their independence but the last on that list was south africa because the grip of the white national's government was so strong and the stakes were so high tremendously longer than it did places like kenya where president obama's father hailed from. a lot of emotion today from this president and i think you can expect him to point to the example of mandela as an example of statesmanship. but especially to our country which is so bitterly divided right now. >> this is truly a